Contact the Equity Team
Kelly Downes (she/her) has been at Berklee since March 2018. In her current role, she leads the Berklee equity team in responding to alleged violations of its Equity and Interim Title IX policies and processes, which prohibit and address sexual misconduct, sexual assault, dating and domestic violence, stalking, and discrimination and/or harassment based on age, ancestry, color, disability, gender, gender expression/identity, genetic information, marital status, mental illness, military/veteran status, national and ethnic origin, pregnancy, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, transgender status, or any other characteristic protected by law. This includes supervising investigations; meeting with affected students, staff, and faculty; and ensuring that individuals receive appropriate support. You can reach her by emailing equity@berklee.edu or by calling 617-747-6591 and leaving a voicemail.
Lee Helmken Cherry (she/her) has been at Berklee since February 2018. She is generally the first point of contact for members of the community who are reporting identity-based harassment, discrimination, or sexual misconduct, and she provides resources and options while coordinating support services and accommodations. Additionally, she focuses on building collaborative programming, campaigns, and training for both the prevention of and the response to discrimination, harassment, and sexual misconduct. You can reach her by emailing lcherry@berklee.edu or by calling 617-747-6592 and leaving a voicemail. If you wish to meet with her to discuss reporting options and resources, you can book time on her calendar here: https://lcherry.youcanbook.me/.
Amanda Bedford (she/her) started at Berklee in June 2018 and brings a wide range of experience from the fields of higher education and the arts to this role. In her current role, she supports creative programming, equitable policy, and institutional diversity to help the Center for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (CDEI) serve as an educational and positive resource for the Berklee community. She is a good person to reach out to if you have a general question about the CDEI, or have a programming idea or request. You can reach her by emailing abedford@berklee.edu or by calling the CDEI main line at 617-747-3156 and leaving a voicemail.